


A Song of Wind and Heroes

by LucianEisner12



Category: Stormlight Archive - Brandon Sanderson, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - College/University, Bakugou Katsuki is Bad at Feelings, Class 1-A Shenanigans (My Hero Academia), Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Funny, Hisashi does not exist, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, Maybe - Freeform, Original Character(s), Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Tags Are Hard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:35:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24599125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LucianEisner12/pseuds/LucianEisner12
Summary: Izuku Midoriya is a cursed child. That's what everyone has said. Izuku see's... things. Things no one else can see. Recently, he has started to even have dreams.Dreams no one else seems to have. Dreams of storm, of wind and rain. Of  a voice calling for him, of falling into the sky, and of a face as wide as eternity. Izuku has been told his whole life that to be a hero, one must have a quirk. And despite all his efforts, he will never be one. But now, there are the beginnings of a stir. Izuku must answer the call, and become the greatest Hero the world has ever seen. For a storm is coming, and in it's wake, comes the end of all things.
Relationships: Bakugou Katsuki & Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Inko & Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Inko/Yagi Toshinori | All Might, Midoriya Izuku & Original Character(s), Midoriya Izuku & Todoroki Shouto, Midoriya Izuku & Uraraka Ochako, Midoriya Izuku & Yagi Toshinori | All Might, Midoriya Izuku/Uraraka Ochako
Comments: 18
Kudos: 47





	1. Dreams of a Storm

**Chapter 1**

**Dreams of a Storm**

**‘The song of heroes played, and the wind danced to the rhythm.’ - A Song of Heroes, Prologue, Page 3**

_The Storm was alive._

_He could feel the power, the immensity, the weight of it all. The rain swirled and fell, thunder roared and lightning crashed. The wind danced and sang, beating with an energy he had never felt before. He had never known just how alive a storm could be until now._

_He flew at the forefront, the wind and rain streaming past him, dancing streaks of gold and green twirling and flowing past his legs and face. Lightning flashed, thunder roared, and he could feel that the Storm was angry, enraged._

_It tore at him, pulled him this way and that, tugged and stretched his soul, seeking to rip him asunder. The rain battered and smashed against him, stinging his eyes and thrashing his skin, leaving trails of burning ice and freezing fire across his body. He struggled, he wept, he screamed, The Storm would not take him, it could not—_

_Suddenly, it stopped. The rain ceased, the thunder silenced. Only the Wind remained. Flowing, slithering. Whispering?_

_He opened his eyes, and saw her. A figure, no taller than he, in a light green dress the likes of which he had never seen before. Light green eyes met his emerald ones, and hair the length of her body flowed behind her in a ripple. Their eyes met, and she smiled and spoke._

_**Y——ut—-e—-ds—h—-t-m—-s—c—n—** _

_The words filled him, though he could only understand hints of words. The Wind caressed his face, filled his lungs with the scent of rain and life, of spring and tomorrow. She raised her hand, reaching for his own._

_He reached forward, not sure why. He just knew, just believed that he had to reach her, had to—_

**The Day is here! The Day is here!**

Izuku awoke with a start, his alarm clock blaring on the stand beside his bed. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he reached up and wiped it away with a trembling hand, brushing the scraggly green hair from his forehead. He reached over and slapped the alarm, silencing it.

Sighing, he layed back down, and stared at the ceiling, the All Might poster above his bed grinning back down at him. His room was dark, the All Might memorabilia around his desk and on his wall dim and faint in the darkness. The only light came from beneath his door, and he thought he heard his mother humming to herself in the kitchen, cooking breakfast from the smell of it. Toast and eggs, over easy: his favorite.

Sighing again, he got up, stretching his tight limbs as he climbed out of bed, wincing as the joints cracked and popped. Moving over to his desk, he turned on the All Might table lamp, and, reaching into his desk drawer, pulled out one of his notebooks—ones he saved for this very occasion—and jotted down what he could remember, muttering all the while.

Another dream.

They had been coming more frequently for months now, ever since he had turned fifteen. Each one was different though in ways he couldn’t explain. The frequency was odd as well; sometimes they were separated by weeks, or even a month. Other times they came in bursts, one or two every few nights. Izuku could never remember more of the dream. Only hints or slight variations. Only the end stuck with him fully. The Girl. The Storm. The Words.

‘What do they mean?’ Izuku thought, scratching the back of his head in frustration. ‘Every night it’s the same ending, the same scene, the same words. And who is that girl? She’s really pretty…’ Izuku pauses in his writing , remembering her face and hair. And the eyes. Light green.

Then he realized, with a blush and a start, that he had been doodling a picture of her in the corner of his notebook. He quickly erased it, blushing bright red all the while. ‘I-I mean pretty interesting. But those words, and the way she said them.’ Izuku frowned, the blush fading from his cheeks as he looked down.

Those eyes had seemed so sad to Izuku. Why? And what did the dreams mean? And what about the words?

So lost in thought, Izuku started to mutter out loud, tapping his pencil on his desk. Above his head, tiny storm clouds gathered about his head, flashing and puffing as he muttered. They grew in size as he continued, oblivious to his surroundings.

“I can guess from the spelling and placement that ‘Y’ probably means ‘You,’ but what about the rest? meanitprobabltmeansnothing,butitcouldmeanmustbutwhstaboutyhend,whatcouldthatposiblymean,whatabouttgestormwhywasitsoangryandanotherthingwhywas—“

**Knock knock**

“Izuku? Is that you, sweetie? Are you okay?” Izuku started as his mother’s voice came from the other side of his door, the worry and curiosity plain in her voice. “I heard your alarm go off, but I didn’t know if you got up yet.” He blushed, hands slapping over his mouth as he saw the storm clouds before they evaporated, and realized he had been muttering again. Loudly at that, if his mom had heard him.

He turned, and saw her feet outside his closed door, a puddle of what looked like purple hands bubbling up beneath her feet. They brushed at her feet, small and vivid, visible even from where he was. Izuku shuddered, looking at the disembodied hands bubbling up, climbing and writhing. With a start, he realized his mother was waiting for him to speak.

“I-it’s fine mom! I’m up. Just thinking,” he called, trying to make his tone reassuring. He could see his mother shift her feet beneath the door, and he pictured her biting her lip, worry still plain on her round face.

Inko Midorya was like her son in more than just looks. The hands remained, though somewhat smaller now. He was surprised that they weren't following him or his mother around constantly. “All right, sweetie, if you're sure. Now, come get some breakfast. It’s almost time for school.”

“All right, mom, coming!”

Izuku saw her leave the doorway and move back into the kitchen. The puddle of purple followed her, leaving no moisture or trail on the floor. He sighed, sinking back into his All Might roller seat, a hand scratching at his scraggly green hair. Next to his hand, a streamer of grey fluttered into existence, flowing around his wrist. He frowned and waved it away, but it just fluttered up to the hop of his head, staying out of reach. Stupid thing.

Ah, right. School.

—————————————————————

_Izuku had been four years old when he started seeing the ghosts._

_He was playing Heroes and Villains with Kacchan, his best friend, and the other kids when one of them fell and scraped their knees. Izuku and the others rushed over as the kid started crying, and then Izuku saw it. Immediately, as soon as the kid had started crying, a bunch of orange hands with overly long fingers rose from the ground and gathered around the wound, waving in a nonexistent breeze._

_Izuku, of course, had freaked out, screaming and yelling at the hands to get away, freaking the other kids out. Including Bakugo, who called Izuku a liar when he said that ghost hands were attacking the kid. Then later, when the kid’s mom came to get him, the kid told her what Izuku had said, and she complained to Inko about her son scaring their kids. Izuku had tried to explain, but no one listened. Eventually, he forgot about the incident, as did the other kids._

_But then, Izuku started seeing strange things._

_Puddles of bubbling blood beneath people’s feet as they argued. Storm clouds around his classmates' heads during tests. Little green people dancing in the wind, giggling and flowing. Red people in the fire at home, dancing to a beat he couldn’t hear. Cubes of Gold above Bakugo’s head as he showed off his quirk. Purple hands beneath his mother’s feet when his friends manifested a quirk, but he never did._

_He tried to tell his friends, but they made fun of him, calling him a freak or possessed. He tried to tell his parents, but Hisashi never believed him and told him to stop lying. Inko tried to help, but the stress ate away at her as well, and he didn’t want to hurt his mom. Soon, Izuku stopped telling people._

_Then, Izuku turned six and still hadn’t manifested a quirk. She took him to a doctor, and there, he found out about the horrible truth; he could never be a hero. He could never be like All Might._

_That day, he saw grey streamers as he cried, as his mother apologized and wouldn’t tell him he could be a hero._

—————————————————————

Izuku sighed as the bell rang, stretching as the students chatted with their friends. He stood up and left the classroom. He didn’t have to worry about that. Nobody wanted to hang with the quirkless freak, so he was usually left alone. Unless it was Kacchan and his cronies. But not today.

He stood up, grabbing his backpack and notebook, and hurried towards the door, almost but not quite running down the halls. He looked down as he jogged past groups of middle school students, ignoring the little storm clouds around people’s heads that often intermingled with silverfish and blue leaves rising from their feet, along with the occasional white-and-red flower petal. He’d seen them enough to know what they typically meant, but didn’t want to stare and gawk. He knew from experience that all too often they would turn into puddles of blood or purple hands if they saw him gawking. Again.

“There goes the freak,” Izuku heard from his right. A group of students glared at him as he passed. He shrunk even more, hurrying past. More voices and whispers followed behind him, taunting and mocking. “Don’t get near him. I hear that if you do, he could steal your quirk away.”

''I heard he moonlights as a vigilante, and that he haunts people.”

“Is it true he almost killed a kid in elementary? Talk about scary! You can’t trust a quirkless freak.”

Izuku could feel the tears build, and almost started running towards the stairs. He took them in a run, and almost collided with a tall, Sasquatch-like student, who roared in surprise. His friends laughed and jeered as little blue leaves floated amidst shattering orange glass. Izuku yelped, and managed to move out of the way, bowed quickly in apology, and ran down the stairs, the boys jeers and the giant’s rage following close behind.

Soon, he reached the exit of the school, and his spirit lifted, a hopeful smile blooming onto his face. Maybe today he could—

A hand grabbed his shoulder, hard and firm, and a familiar voice growled behind him, sending a shiver down his spine, and his heart plummeting to his stomach. “Oi, Deku. Where do you think you're going in such a rush? Come and talk with us.”

Izuku froze, and then slowly, resignation in his heart, turned and faced his tormentor, his childhood bully, and maybe(?) his childhood friend.

Katsuki Bakugo.

—————————————————————

Izuku felt himself pulled upwards, pinned to the concrete wall by Bakugo's tight grip on his collar. Izuku gulped, staring into his former best friend’s eyes as he sneered, raising a hand menacingly next to his face. Sparks and flames danced in his palm as his quirk created explosions.

“Oi. Deku,” Katsuki growled, staring down at his victim, who whimpered. “What’s this shit I hear about you applying for UA, huh? Why’s a weak, quirkless freak applying there? You picking a fight, Deku?”

Behind him, Bakugo’s cronies chortled and jeered, laughing at the quirkless loser getting served. Izuku ignored them in favor of looking fearfully at the explosions in Bakugo's palm. Something caught his eyes, and he glanced down. Beneath him, puddles of blood mixed with red streamers fluttering upwards, waving delicately in the wind.

Izuku swallowed, and then realized he had been looking down at it, because Bakugo exploded the part of the concrete wall next to his head. “Stop looking at your fake ghosts you freak and answer me, damn it! Why are you going to U.A?”

“I-I’m not Kacchan!” Izuku yelped, eyes darting to the crater to his left. “I-I just… um. I w-wouldn’t pick a fight with you K-Kacchan- it’s just—”

“Don’t lie to me, you damn nerd!” Bakugou roared, letting off another explosion. “Why else would a quirkless nobody apply to U.A? You looking down on me, Deku? Is that it? I’ll fucking kill you!”

“N-No Kacchan, I-I wouldn’t dream of applying to U.A,” Izuku babbled, raising his hands to placate Bakugo's wrath. “O-Of course I didn’t apply to U.A! Wh-Why would I do such a thing, I’m not stupid, I wouldn’t—“

“Yeah, Bakugo,” piped up one of Bakugo’s cronies, picking his nose with a massive finger. “Why are you bothering with this freak? You know he ain’t gonna get in, even if he applied. Quirkless loser like him ain’t got no chance.” The rest of the group laughed like it was the funniest they had ever heard.

Bakugou leaned in close, glaring straight into Izuku’s eyes, hand raised right next to his nose. “Listen up, Deku, cause I’m only gonna say this once. If I find out that you applied for U.A, I’ll blow your ass to pieces. Got it?”

“Got it, yes, crystal, right, Kacchan!” Izuku nodded furiously.

Bakugou stared at him, snorted, and let go of Izuku's collar, letting him slide to the ground. Turning, he swaggered away, leading his gang as they laughed and joked. Stopping, he turned and glared at Izuku's kneeling form. Izuku flinched, leaning back as far as he could.

Bakugou snorted again, and turning, said loud enough for Izuku to hear, “Quirkless, ghost-seeing freaks like you only end up in a body bag. So don’t try, Deku! Later, nerd.”

Then they left, leaving Izuku alone with his thoughts, and the tears that followed.

—————————————————————

Izuku sighed, falling back into his bed, exhausted physically and mentally. He knew he should go to bed, but chose to stare at the ceiling, mind blank, replaying the events of the day. All Might’s face stared back at him. The Number One Hero’s smile seemed… different. Disappointed. Izuku grimaced and looked away, turning to face the wall.

He had made his excuses to his mom when he got home; no need to worry her about the tears and Kacchan. He had tripped, that was all. The redness of his eyes had come from the fall. The same excuses.

He knew she didn’t believe them; the purple hands at her feet told him that much, but there wasn’t much she could do. The teachers were on Kacchan’s side, and short of moving to a new school, which wasn’t an option with his final year of high school, he had to deal with it. He had to graduate.

_‘It’s fine. Nothing to worry about. I can handle nine more months. Just nine more months. Nine months of stares and whispers and K-Kacchan.’_

**_I’m afraid, Mrs. Midoriya, that your son will never develop a quirk. You best give up on being a hero._ **

_‘It was fine. If I could get into U.A. somehow, it would all work out. Maybe if I train hard enough and study more, I could pass the Entrance Exam!’_

**_Why are you lying, you freak? Ghosts don’t exist! Stop pretending!_ **

_‘Maybe I could get a part time job? Hey, that’s a good idea! I could pay the entrance fee for U.A. and earn money on the side! Mom wouldn’t have to pay!’_

**I’m sorry, Izuku! I’m so sorry!**

_‘It’ll be alright. I.. I just have… to…. believe...’_ Izuku fell asleep, fresh tears falling down his face, ribbons of tattered grey rippling around his wrist.

_The Storm was alive._

_He could feel the power, the immensity, the weight of it all. The rain swirled and fell, thunder roared and lightning crashed. The wind danced and sang, beating with an energy he had never felt before. He never knew just how alive a storm could be until now._

_He flew at the forefront, the wind and rain streaming past him, dancing streaks of gold and green twirling and flowing past his legs and face. Lightning flashed, thunder roared, and he could feel that the Storm was angry,enraged._

_It tore at him, pulled him this way and that, tugged and stretched his soul, seeking to rip him asunder. The rain battered and smashed against him, stinging his eyes and thrashing his skin, leaving trails of burning ice and freezing fire across his body. He struggled, he wept, he screamed, The Storm would not take him, it could not—_

_He... Izuku remembered this dream. He remembered it!_

_Izuku turned, looking around in astonishment. He stood above everything, the Earth far below him. Rain, cold and harsh, whipped and battered against his skin, falling in sheets of icy fury. The wind whipped around him, lightning flashed in wreathes of spectacular color. Never before had Izuku been able to act in the dreams. It was always set._

_‘What’s going on? What’s happened? It all feels so—’ Izuku saw, out of the corner of his left eye,a flash of green, and he turned and gasped._

_People. Lots of them. People of a mix of light green and turquoise blue danced on the wind and thunder, moving to a beat that matched his heart beat. They danced, they played, they laughed . Their voices reached his ears, faint but there, and he realized they were singing._

_‘But,’ Izuku blinked away the pouring rain from his eyes, searching amongst the figures. ‘Where’s the green lady? She’s always here! What’s going—”_

_The Storm spoke._

**_SO. YOU HAVE FINALLY HEARD THE CALL._ **

_Izuku jumped, a scream escaping his mouth. The figures froze, stopping in mid-action. They turned, and as one, stared at Izuku._

_Izuku stared back, petrified. His limbs started to shake, and his teeth chattered. Their eyes were all fixed on him. All of them. But where was—_

**_THE ONE YOU SEEK HAS LEFT THIS PLACE._ **

_Izuku jumped, looking around in fear. That voice. It had come from… from everywhere. “Wha...” Izuku started, then swallowed and spoke again. “W-What is this? W-where am I? Who is s-speaking?”_

_Thunder clapped, and lightning roared. The people still stared at him, their eyes unblinking._

**_THAT IS NOT IMPORTANT. WHO I AM IS NOT IMPORTANT NOW. IT IS WHAT I AM. AND WHAT YOU ARE._ **

_Izuku turned, and gasped._

_A face, as wide as eternity, stared down at him from the Storm. Its features were too wide and too high to make out, but Izuku thought he saw a scar down its left cheek. A massive, ugly thing, it curved down from the left eye to where the chin might have been if he could see it. Izuku stared, dumbstruck._

_The Storm spoken again_

**_YOU ARE CHOSEN, IZUKU MIDORIYA. FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, YOUR FATE IS NOW TIED TO HERS. WILL YOU SWEAR, I WONDER? OR WILL YOU FALL, AS HAVE SO MANY IN THE PAST, IN A DIFFERENT TIME AND PLACE? WE SHALL SEE._ **

_Izuku began to speak, but the Storm blew harder, sending him flying into the sky. The face disappeared. The figures flew away in green streaks. He tumbled and flew, felt himself plummet towards the earth. Rain whipped at his soul, wind scarring his mind. Izuku screamed, he—_

**THUNK!!**

He fell face first onto the floor off his bed.

“OWwwwwww….” Izuku groaned, falling flat on his back as the rest of his body followed his head's lead. Squinting in pain, he saw that it was still dark. Raising his head, he confirmed it was still three hours before he had to get up for school.

His face and nose stung from the abrupt fall, and he thought he felt liquid drip from nose and forehead. He sighed, thinking he had another bloody nose and reached up with a hand to wipe away the blood. “Another dream… what was that?” Izuku wiped away the liquid, but then noticed the blood in his lips, licked it away.

And then he froze. ‘That… that doesn’t.. taste like blood.’

Getting up and going over to his desk, he turned on the lamp, staring at his hand in the bright light.

It was rain water.


	2. Somber Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘Though it did not know from whence came, the wind swayed to the beat all the same.’ - A Song of Heroes, Prologue, Page 3

  
“—and in National News, six more bodies with burnt out eyes were found in the alleys of Kyoto this morning. The police have identified the bodies as locals, including two pro Heroes, by the names of—”

**Bzzzzt**

“—giant shape was spotted in the hills of Kyushu, heading east and leaving mass devastation in its wake. Experts state that the shape may have been a rampaging quirk user, though it is not known if—”

**Bzzzzt**

“—All Might might have dealt with the crisis, rather than Endeavor. In local news, no new information has been given on the status of Pro Hero Sledge, who remains in critical condition following a fight between a group of Pros and a massive rock-like monster last week. It has been speculated to have been the result of a villain's quirk; however, no such information has been found. And now for the weather—”

**Bzzzzt**

Izuku clicked through the channels, not really paying attention, eyes blank and off focused. Sitting on the living room couch, dressed in a simple white shirt that said ‘Shirt’ and shorts to ward off the evening heat, he had been watching the news for a couple hours now, not really able to gather the strength to move or study or even write in his notebooks. Which was odd, even for him, and he could feel his mom’s worried gaze throughout the whole day, the purple hands and red streamers trailing in her wake.

Not even the news grabbed his attention.They had been reporting the killings in Kyoto for weeks now, with new victims popping up every few days. Plus, the massive brawl in the next town over had been all the rage. Normally, Izuku would have been all over this; however, he just wasn’t feeling it, which scared his mom even more, and he had to promise her multiple times that he was not depressed or in danger or “Oh please, honey, I don’t think I could handle you doing drugs, please tell me what’s wrong?”

To be fair, though, it had nothing to do with the news, or his lack of interest in things hero related, or even his general disinterest. Rather, it was more that he hadn’t been really able to focus on much the past few days. He had tried desperately to get back into the groove of his life, but something always kept him distracted, kept him awake while he should be sleeping.

It had been almost a week since the last dream had come. A week of fear, of awe, and terror, of waiting to wake up and find more rain, waiting for more dreams of storms, of rain and wind and lightning. To hear that voice again, the one that blotted out all thought and feeling, to feel it rip through his being and examine his very soul, and find him wanting. To see that face, as wide as eternity.

He had not had a single dream.

In fact, his sleep had gone undisturbed the whole week. No nightmares, no restless nights, no cries of fear or dread or Bakugo. Just calm, peaceful sleep.

That terrified him in a way he couldn’t express.

He had tried to reassure his mom, telling her that he was getting great rest now, that there was no need to worry about his demeanor and would she please put down the phone, the doctor wasn’t needed. He knew she didn’t believe him; Izuku didn’t even believe himself. He felt… different now.

But that wasn’t the end of it. No, if that was all, Izuku would have been content to think it all had been a dream and to focus on figuring out how to get into UA and not explode via Kacchan. But no, that would have been too simple, too easy for Izuku Midorya. For someone with an awesome quirk, it may never have even bothered them. But no, no such luck for Deku. Instead, Izuku had another problem.

It had started simply. Flashes in the corner of his eye, glances and quick looks at hints of movement that could easily be explained and forgotten. A trick of the light, an illusion of the mind. Glimpses of a figure in the mirror, around the corner at the store, or a blank face on the crowd. But it was always there. A glimpse of a turquoise green limb, the fluttering of a green leaf in a non existent breeze. A shadow pointing the wrong way in the light.

Izuku was being followed.

Even now, he could see it, out of the corner of his eye. Sitting on the kitchen table, lounging in the air, dancing in the windows light. Izuku could never quite get a good look at it, but he thought, from this angle on the couch, that maybe…

“Izuku? Honey? Izuku!!!” 

Izuku started, realizing, with growing embarrassment, that he had been ignoring his mother's calls and was almost falling off the couch from him straining to catch a full glimpse of the figure. Blushing crimson, he turned towards his mother—and almost flinched from the sheer amount of purple hands and streamers around Inko, her eyes filled with worry and, what hurt Izuku the most, a hint of fear. “Are… Are you okay, honey? Are you seeing things again? If you need to see the doctor I can call him right now and we can—”

“No!” Izuku started, panic rising in his chest. He jumped from the couch, shaking slightly, vomit rising in his throat. Not again, not the doctor. The squirming maggots, the wiggling hands, panic, shame, freak, he...

Izuku came back to himself, then winced as he saw Inko flinch visibly and back away, the hands writhing and growing up to her knees, the red streamers actually reaching the ceiling. Izuku sighed, feeling the panic subside, guilt welling up instead. “Sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to yell, just… don’t call the doctor. I’m fine. Just distracted.” Izuku tried to sound reassuring, but the remnant of the panic remained clear in his voice.

He saw his mother bite her lower lip, the hands receding slightly, but not by much. “A-are you sure, honey? If you need some help…” 

“ I’m fine Mom, I promise.” 

Inko looked at Izuku, staring into her son's eyes, the worry clear on her face. Slowly, carefully, Izuku saw the purple hands shrink back down to the floor, the streamers following behind, disappearing into the ground. “All right Honey, if you're absolutely sure… Well, come get some dinner; it’s almost time for bed. You have school tomorrow.”

Izuku breathed a deep sigh of relief and joined his mother for dinner, doing his best to ignore the flitting figure at the edge of his vision and his mother's constant worried glances.

Later, as he laid in bed, trying to force himself to sleep, he tried not to think about the dreams that wouldn’t come, about the figure sitting on his desk. Tried to focus on tomorrow, trying to get through school, avoid Kacchan, and figure out how to get into UA. Most of all, he tried not to remember the abject fear in his mother's eyes as he yelled, the despair in his gut as he realized that, right then, his mother had been afraid of him.

____________________________________________________________________________

“I would ask where you all want to transfer to… but let's be honest, you all wanna go to the Hero Course!”

Izuku looked down at his desk, embarrassed and ashamed as his classmates cheered at the teachers words, showing off their quirks to their extent. Looking up from beneath his scraggly green hair, Izuku saw silver fish and blue leaves dance and weave around his classmates' heads. A few even had red streamers poking up from the ground. He quickly looked back down, afraid to look at any in the eye, worried that one of them would see him looking and those leaves and fish would turn to pools of blood. It wouldn’t be the first time

Everyone was celebrating as their teacher talked. All but him and Kacchan, who sat with his legs on his desk, leaning back in his chair with a smug smile on his face. Little golden orbs floated around his head, spinning in a lazy circle, mixing with the red streamers that were practically filling the class room at this point. 

Around Izuku, the kids chatted and laughed, listening to their teachers' words, praising the students, especially Kacchan, and Kacchan boasting. Even Izuku couldn’t help but be excited, a nervous smile breaking out on his face as red streamers started poking out of the ground around him.

He wasn’t wrong. Everyone wanted to be a superhero. Even a quirkless loser like Izuku.

He had always wanted to be a Hero.

Even when he was a child, small and weak, he had wanted to be a hero, playing with Kacchan and the others. Even on that day with the doctor, when he had been told he would never be a hero, and his mother had… had said she was sorry, Izuku had never given up the hope that someday, maybe, possibly, he could be a hero. There were other heroes out there that didn’t use quirks right? Like in America, o-or heroes like Eraserhead or Sledge, their quirks weren’t the only things they had going for them! 

He loved watching videos of heroes, watching All Mights debut or Edgeshot taking down the Mongolian Candidate. He had seen Heroes at work early today, seen the likes of Kamui Woods, Mt. Lady, and others acting so cool against a villain! He had seen ghosts he hadn’t seen before too, like blue lightning flashing around Kamui Woods head, as well as little puffs of smoke around the crowds heads as Mt. Lady came on to the scene. He dreamed of one day being like them, standing beside his mentor All Might! If he could get into UA, somehow, then maybe....

“Oh, That's right. Midoriya, you're applying for UA as well right?”

Izuku froze, eyes wide, facing his desk.The red streamers froze… then grew even taller. Wriggling piles of purple goo danced around his head, purple, skinless hands forming on the desk. Around him, the other kids murmured and laughed, wondering why a quirkless loser like him would try to get into a college like UA. Purple hands and yellow triangles appeared at their feet and head, shattering and reforming in alarming frequency. 

“What? Midoriya is going to UA?” 

“I didn’t know they let quirkless people apply!” 

“What's a loser like him gonna do at the entrance exam?” 

“Do you think he will cheat his way in, like blackmail or something?” 

“No way, that would be so low! Although, for a quirkless guy…” 

“All right that's enough kids! Anyway, as I was saying…” 

Izuku heard none of what was said. Izuku saw none of it. All he could do was stare down at his desk, and feel Kacchan’s death glare drill into the side of his head. Beneath him, massive pools of blood bubbled up into existence, and rose steadily to his ankles, lapping hungrily at his legs, pawing at his soul.

____________________________________________________________________________

_That boy isn’t right, Inko. He stares at things that aren’t there and scares the kids! He needs help._

Izuku trudged aimlessly down the street away from his school, eyes on the ground, hands limp on his backpack straps. The sun's orange-and-yellow glow shone in the sky, marking the end of the school day. The cherry blossoms bloomed above his head, making the air gleam with life. Little figures danced abongs the blossoms. Izuku ignored them, He ignored the other ghosts as well. Izuku hadn’t seen the green and blue figure all day, much to his annoyance and frustration. But that didn’t matter now.

_Go home, you stupid Deku! Nobody wants you here! You're a freak who sees ghosts!_

He didn’t know where he was going, he didn’t know where he wanted to go. Home didn’t seem promising right now, with his mother and the ghosts and the fear. He didn’t know where he could go. All he could do was put one step in front of the other. Again and again. That's all a Deku could do, really. 

_Izuku is so weird. Why does he stare at things that aren't there? You think it is a quirk, or is he just crazy?_

Kacchan had reacted the way Izuku had expected; with fire and rage. He had yelled, threatened, and had come close to exploding Izuku right then and there. The other students had done nothing; they just laughed and snickered, watching the prodigy deal with the quirkless loser. The teacher had left the moment it began, leaving Izuku to his fate. Just like it always was.

_Why don’t you say something! Are you just going to stand there!? What are you looking at, damnit!_

Izuku had tried to make his excuses: he wasn’t applying to be a hero; no, he was going to be a support hero, that's all. And it seemed Kacchan bought it, because he switched targets. He had grabbed Izuku's notebook, one of his many prized hero analysis books, and blew it up. Right in his face, and threw it out the window, next to the school fountain. Izuku had panicked, screaming and running to the window. He had barely noticed the green figure right in front of his face, barely seen the eyes he had never noticed before. But then it got worse.

_Why don’t take a swan dive off the roof? Try again for a better life and quirk, huh?_

The words bounced in Izukus head, and wouldn't leave him be. He saw nothing, felt nothing. Just kept walking. The ghosts formed at his feet, leaving a trail of gray ash and broken streamers behind him. Izuku ignored them. He moved past a tunnel, barely noticing anything in the depths. He ignored the figure sitting on a wall to his left, green hair dancing and weaving in the slight breeze. He ignored the drops of rainwater from a non-existent storm. He ignored everything. 

_That child is cursed, Inko! He should have died from that sickness! I can’t stay in this house with him!_

Soon, he reached a bridge, spanning the way between two neighborhoods. He stopped then, emerald eyes shaded by fuzzy, shaggy green hair. He turned towards the river, hands gripping the railing, and stared down into the murky green water. The sun beat down from on high, making the water glow.

_I’m afraid that he will never be a Hero, Mrs. Midoriya. You best give up on that dream, young man._

Izuku gripped the rails hard, tears leaking from the corner of his eyes, as the words came back to him from so long ago. He… he was just so tired of being hated. Of being picked on. Of Kac… of Bakugo’s bullying. Being told that he could be nothing. But most of all...

_Izuku… I am so sorry baby! I’m sorry… I am so sorry… I love you honey, no matter what…_

He was tired of not being believed in.

Izuku tensed his feet, gripping the railing hard. His eyes were empty, lifeless. Maybe… Just maybe. The water looked so easy. Just one jump and then…

Never give up, kids! If life tells you no, you get back up and try again! That is why I can say, I am here!

Izuku let go of the railing, and sighed. What was he doing?

Izuku turned to leave, heading back towards his home—

And tripped on a loose stone in the bridge. Izuku panicked, feeling himself fall towards and over the low railing, trying to grab ahold—

And fell upwards into the sky.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!” Izuku screamed, the wind rushed past his ears, crashing like thunder against his mind and soul. The wind in his lungs was ripped from his body as he accelerated, falling faster and faster. He felt a tugging on his body, as if something was pulling him upwards. Izuku felt the world rush away before him as he was pulled higher and higher into the sky, the city and town below him becoming a distant speck beneath him. Higher and higher, falling towards the clouds in the sky. WHAT'S GOING ON! WHY AM I FLYING? HOW AM I FLYING? I CAN'T STOP! Izuku struggled, flailing as he fell higher and higher, the world beneath him getting smaller and smaller. He felt the air getting colder and colder, the clouds rushing up to meet him and after that, empty space. He closed his eyes, tears streaming down his cheeks, he knew he was dead, he just wished...

And then he stopped. 

Izuku was frozen in the air, his head stopped just before the clouds. Izuku opened one eye, fearful, then his eyes shot open. He stared, awestruck. 

The world rolled out before him, an endless array of green hills, rivers and mountains specked with tiny grey and white specks. Cities. Japan lay before him, brilliant and shining. Around it sat the sea, brilliant and blue in the sun's light. Izuku looked up and saw the bright sun overhead, the white clouds above him just out of reach.

So beautiful.

Izuku blinked away tears, the air cold and crisp on his cheeks. His uniform was ruffled and windblown, his hair the same. He could have sat there forever, staring down at the brillant sights before him.

So, of course, gravity reasserted itself. And Izuku fell.

Izuku could feel the pull, feel the wind start to rush again, feel the moment end. The world below him started to get closer and closer. He flailed, trying to slow his momentum, try to do anything, but it was too late, the earth had its hold on him. Izuku saw his town get closer and closer again, the cement street below him rising upwards to meet him. Izuku screamed one last time, eyes closed, dreading the impact.

WHOOSH!

“Are you all right, young man?”

Izuku froze, tensing, eyes still closed. He… He was standing on solid ground. He heard the birds chirping, the sound of cars and voices. He… was alive? He opened his eyes, blinking in the light. He was standing atop a moderately tall building, the city laid out before him. How did he…?

“Young man, are you all right?”

Izuku blinked, remembering someone was talking to him. That voice. It sounded so familiar. Deep and powerful. Izuku turned toward it, ready to speak... and gasped, stars sparkling in his eyes. A ring of blue smoke billowed out from the top of his head as he stared upwards into the eyes of his savior. 

A giant of a man, standing tall at least seven feet, taller with the spiky blond hair pointing upwards from his head. Shadowed eyes that glowed sapphire blue from underneath furrowed brows, a massive, familiar looking grin on his face. The white shirt and pants seemed painted onto his incredibly muscled physique, bulging and straining as he leaned forward, waiting for Izuku's answer.

The Number One Hero, The Symbol of Piece and the greatest hero that had ever lived, All Might.

____________________________________________________________________________

“THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUOHMYGODTHANKYOU!THISISTHEGREATESTDAYOFMYLIFE,ICANTBELIEVETHATIWASAVEDBYTHENUMBERONEHERO,IWILLTELLMYGRANCHILDRENOFTHISDAY,MAYBE,IMEANIDON’TKNOWIFIWILLHAVETHEMBUTOHWOAHICAN’TBELIEVETHATTHENUMBERONEHEROISINFRONTOFMETHISISTHEGREATESTTHINGEVER!!” Izuku bowed repeatedly, bubbling and mumbling up a storm as he practically prostrated himself before his idol, the number one hero! He couldn’t believe it! Izuku could practically feel the blue smoke and silver fish swimming and expanding around his head. But he couldn’t care less. All Might was literally right in front of him!

“ **AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA**!” All Mights voice boomed out from his massive frame, hands on his hips as he leaned back and laughed. Waving a hand, he patted Izuku on the head. “ **DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT, YOUNG MAN! I’M JUST HAPPY THAT I MANAGED TO CATCH YOU IN TIME. YOU’RE LUCKY I WAS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, OR THAT MIGHT HAVE ENDED BADLY INDEED! THIS OLD MAN IS NOT AS FAST AS HE USED TO BE!** ” 

“You’re not old sir! It doesn’t even show on your face!” Izuku piped up, raising his head from his constant bowing. All Might just laughed again, his massive grin widening on his face. Blue leaves and silver fish appeared around the Pro hero’s own massive frame, swirling and dancing in the breeze. Izuku let out a nervous chuckle as well, feeling himself start to relax from the hero's presence.

Soon, All Might's laughter subsided, and he took a deep breath, looking back down at the youth before him, a smile still on his broad face. “ **NOW YOUNG MAN, WHY DON’T YOU TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED? WHY WERE YOU FALLING AT SUCH A SPEED? AND FROM SO HIGH UP AS WELL? AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE ARE NO BUILDINGS TALL ENOUGH FOR SUCH A FALL AROUND HERE.** ” The giant's tone was kind and gentle, but also curious and… concerned? Izuku flinched, suddenly realizing what the hero meant. He averted his gaze from All Mights, emerald eyes looking to the side. Izuku wasn’t sure if he could tell anyone what happened, not even All Might, the Symbol of Peace. Heck, he barely believed it himself, and he almost died because of it. He… Izuku had almost died. His life had almost come to an abrupt and violent end, and All Might had saved him. Izuku started to tremble a bit, hands squeezing at his sides. Tears started leaking at the corner of his eyes, a common thing for him he knew.

Unfortunately, that only seemed to worry the giant hero, whose smiles slowly, ever so slowly, seemed to dim and fade, the giant's body tensing ever so slightly. “ **YOUNG MAN, ARE YOU ALl RIGHT? I PROMISE YOU, WE CAN FIND YOU SOME HELP IF YOU NEED SOME. I KNOW THINGS SEEM TOUGH NOW, BUT I ASSURE YOU THAT THINGS WILL GET BETTER IF YOU LET PEOPLE HELP YOU. DOING SOMETHING RASH WON’T HELP ANYONE.** ” Izuku looked back up and stared into the giant's gaze, and blinked owlishly, his brain going blank at the hero's words. Tough? Doing something rash? Get some help? What was he...oh. Oh. Oh! 

“N-no!” Izuku squeaked, sputtering and waving his hands before him in a panic, trying to reassure the Pro Hero. Red streamers and purple goo quickly replaced the blue smoke and fish around his frame, twitching nervously in the wind. “No, that's not what happened, I wouldn’t do anything rash sir, you have to believe me. I-I’m fine, I promise, there's nothing like that going on.” Izukus words seemed to do little though, as the Pro Hero seemed even more worried if possible, the smile slipping entirely off his broad face, replaced by a frown. A weight settled in Izuku's stomach upon the sight, and the ghosts seemed to increase, growing larger.

The giant stepped forward, seeming to loom over Izuku even more. Purple goo and hands rose up from the ground around All Might, wriggling and crawling over one another. “ **YOUNG MAN, PLEASE DON’T LIE. YOUR NOT IN TROUBLE, JUST PLEASE, TELL ME THE TRUTH**.”

“I-I…” Izuku stammered, sweat beading his forehead. The ghosts seemed to rise in number, growing by the second. The Pro hero seemed larger than before now, towering over Izuku, overwhelming him. The world seemed to shrink and spin. Izuku's breath came in gasps, he tried to speak, but no words would come out. Sweat was pouring from his forehead, his heart beat seemed loud in his ears. 

Suddenly, Izuku couldn’t take it. “I can see ghosts!” Izuku shouted, his voice startlingly loud. The ghost around them froze… then vanished.

All Might paused, surprise and shock on his face, as well as an emotion Izuku couldn’t place. “ **...What**?”

“I can see ghosts sir, things around people. I don’t know why I can see them, but I can!” Izuku didn’t know where the flood of words were coming from, the onrush of emotion coming from his very being. All he knew, as he stared down at the ground, eyes fixed on All Mights shoes, was that he couldn’t keep quiet anymore. “I don’t know how I can see them, or what they mean, but they are everywhere. For as long as I can remember, I have always been able to see them and I don’t know why! And today I.. I just couldn’t take it anymore and suddenly I was flying in the sky and now I’m here! I-It's not what you think sir! I just…” Izuku took a deep breath, a sudden rush of emotion in his chest he couldn’t define, looked up into All Mights shadowed eyes, and spoke in a quieter, but determined voice. “Sir. I have a question, Please, tell me. Can you become a hero without a quirk? Can someone who can see ghosts, a quirkless freak, become a hero?!?”

The rooftop was silent for a moment. Izuku stared into the Number one hero's eyes, his emerald gaze wavering slightly in nervousness and fear staring into shadowed sapphire blue, his limbs trembled from the effort of straining them, though determination filled the young man's gaze. The number one hero was quiet for a moment, his gaze and features unreadable to Izuku. Izuku waited, heart pounding in his chest. He waited for the words, the words that in his heart he knew the Hero would say, but still he waited and hoped.

What happened next took Izuku by complete and utter surprise.

White steam seemed to escape from All Might, spraying all around the area, startling Izuku who cried out in shock and covered his face from the vapor. The hot air filled his gaze and lungs, sending him into a coughing fit. “W-What? All Might! What’s going on? Where are you?” Izuku choked out, covering his face with his arms as he looked about, shielding his gaze and he desperately searched for the Number one. Suddenly a voice cut out from the steam, sounding tired and… familiar? 

“Over here kid. I’m right here.” 

Izuku turned towards the voice, the steam clearing around him.

A pale, emaciated figure with scraggly blonde hair and sunken cheeks stood in place of the Number One hero, the white shirt and jeans seeming to hang on his ravaged form. Izuku stared, astonished. The skeleton looked at him, his gaze blue and tired. 

“So, you can see them too, kid? That's a surprise.”

Izuku Midoriya fainted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. Um. Wow lol this received a better reception than I was expecting, Thank You All very much.
> 
> So, this chapter. Yeah, it was rough to write. I can promise you that it will get better as time goes on. Maybe.
> 
> Thank you all for reading, and hopefully I'll see you soon with Chapter 3.


	3. The Truth of Character

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘As the winds danced, the storm raged, fury and jealousy mixed with damning praise.’ - A Song of Heroes, Prologue, Pg. 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took way longer than it shouldve.

**Chapter 3**

  
_Izuku was in a place of endless sky._

_The floor was of storm clouds, the ceiling burning rain and frozen wind that stretched upwards for eons. In each direction, as far as he could see, was an endless, neverending expanse of grey, stretching into eternity. Izuku blinked, and suddenly it was rightside up, the rain beneath his feet, the wind tickling at the soles of his feet and toes. It was like… like grass in a field? Above him, lightning flashed in blue and white streaks, hints of red and green in the mix. Izuku stared, dumbstruck at the sight._

_He then looked down and turned to get a better look at his surroundings, and as he did so, the world moved with him, rotating. Shifting. Twisting, Izuku blinked, emerald eyes wide as he stared at a sky of purest sapphire stretching into the far horizon where it rolled off the edge of the world. The sun sat high in the sky, shining yellow and orange-gold in the ever expansive blue, gleaming at its highest point. Izuku, strangely, felt no warmth from the sun's rays. Thin, wispy clouds floated past Izuku's head, and he reached out a hand, curious. Then he froze._

_His hand was a shadow. He couldn’t see it. Why couldn’t he see his hand? He knew it was there, he could feel it but… Wait. What was he doing before this? He remembered… flying? Then a rush of sound and color, then he was on a building in the city. Which city? There was a man. He knew the man… Didn’t he? Wait… Who was he again?_

_**Y——ut—-e—-ds—h—-t-m—-s—c—n—** _

_Izuku jumped, and spun on the spot. And the world shifted._

_Izuku stared at the figure behind him, the world around them a cloudy, white and black mess of colors, rushing past them at the speed of a whisper. Izuku ignored it. He only saw the figure before him. Hair blowing in the dead breeze, long and thick, the color of emerald jade. Eyes blank and pale green, seemingly blind and dead, but Izuku could see… something in the milky center. An emotion of some kind. She wore a dress he had never seen before. Long, smooth, and silky looking, it hugged her thin, girlish body. It stretched all the way down to her ankles, where Izuku saw she was barefoot, small green-and-white feet peeking out beneath the hem. A long sleeve extended down to her left hand, covering it in blue silk._

_He knew her. He recognized her._

_The girl smiled, and Izuku suddenly was reminded of a calm, cool summer breeze across an open field of flowers. The smell of an ocean breeze drifted past his nose, and he closed his eyes, breathing deep. The scent was so familiar. Where did he know it from? Izuku opened his eyes and looked down into the girl's eyes. She was shorter than him, maybe up to his neck if that. She looked up at him, her head tilted to the side, staring at him like he was a particularly interesting bug, the smile still on her face._

_Then she spoke. And he understood._

**_You must speak the words. The time is coming. Be ready._ **

_She then reached forward a thin, delicate hand, reaching towards his own. Izuku reached out a shadowy hand as well, trying to grasp hers. A noise rang in his ear, like the buzzing of a fly, and a ringing sound in his head like a bell. Was that… shouting?_

**_The Time is Coming. Speak the Words._ **

“Young Man, are you okay? Oi! Wake up!!”

Izuku shot forward with a surprised cry, and slammed his forehead into the face of a skeleton.

**THWACK!**

“OWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!” Izuku yelped, recoiling from the impact and holding his head and rolling on the ground. That really hurt! What is it made of, steel? Through the pain emanating from his forehead and the pounding in his brain, Izuku heard the skeleton groan as well, and he could almost picture him holding his gaunt head in agony. “Why do kids these days have such hard heads?” Izuku heard the skeleton mutter through the throbbing. “It’s like headbutting a brick wall.” Izuku paused in his rolling, mind trying to work through the pain. That voice. It sounded… Izuku thought the voice sounded familiar. But where did—

A memory burst through the pain clouding Izuku's mind. Falling. Being saved. All Might. All Might transforming. A Skeleton with shaggy blond hair. 

Izuku froze, holding his head in his hands, emerald eyes huge and wide in shock. Then, ever so slowly, Izuku raised his head from the kneeling position he had found himself in and looked at the skinny, gaunt, skeletal figure before him, who was currently leaning on a metal railing across from him with one hand as the other held his shaggy blond head, looking down over the railing and groaning in pain. His white shirt and pants seemed too large for him, his shoes almost looked oversized. His arms and body seemed… shrunken, to Izuku. Like a balloon that had been inflated, and slowly left to shrink over time, leaving a deflated husk behind.

But there was a familiarity to the gaunt, shrunken form. A certain resemblance to a certain someone. The shaggy, unkempt hair. The too-loose clothing. The voice. “Agh,” the man groaned, rubbing at the spot where their heads had met. “You have a hefty skull on you, kid! What are you made of, metal?” Izuku started at the voice. He knew it.

“A-are,” Izuku started, then swallowed; his throat suddenly seemed dry. He licked his lips (he hadn't realized how chapped and dry they were from his flight and fall) and tried again, his voice seeming too loud in the sudden silence on the rooftop. “Are you… really All Might?”

The man stopped, then slowly stood up fully, facing away from Izuku as he looked out over the city. Izuku couldn’t see his face, but he thought he saw nervousness in his posture. Izuku saw that the ghosts had returned, as thin red streamers rose from the ground around himself and the man, waving in the breeze. The man sighed, his bony shoulders heaving in resignation, and he turned around, allowing Izuku to take a good look at his face. 

His face was gaunt, even more so than the rest of him. His eyes seemed hidden and shrouded beneath a pronounced and shadowed brow, though sapphire blue orbs seemed to radiate from the depths. Bags rested under his eyes, and the skin around his face seemed weathered and worn down. Izuku thought he saw a few lines as well, but couldn’t be sure. Tiredness and exhaustion seemed to cling to the man.

Izuku knew him. He knew those eyes. He knew this man as well as he knew himself. He had followed and worshiped him throughout his whole life. But he needed to hear the words again. He needed to know for sure.

“Yeah kid,” All Might spoke, his voice tired and resigned, small puffs of grey dust appearing around his head. “It’s me. I am All Might.”

Izuku breathed out, suddenly out of breath. When had he started holding his breath? “R-really? How? Why? How come you're so… so…” 

“So shriveled?” All Might chuckled, looking amused at the expression on Izuku’s face. “ You know how some people hold their stomachs in at the pool? It’s kinda like that. I’m just holding myself up. This is what I really look like.”

Izuku's mind raced at the words, staring in astonishment. That's what All Might really looks like? A skeleton? Why does he… Wait. “Um… All Might?” The man perked up at Izuku's tone, looking at him with one eyebrow raised. Izuku swallowed again. Why was his throat so dry? “ Um… What did you mean before? About me seeing them too? Can… Can you actually see them as well? The ghosts?” Izuku saw All Might's eyebrows rise and disappear into his hairline, and he looked at Izuku with an unreadable expression.

“Ah yes, that.” All Might moved, and sat down on an upside down bucket near the railing. Izuku got to his feet, dusting off his clothes, and watched the man sigh and run his hands through his scraggly hair. Izuku saw the dust puffs grow larger as he sat down, and little orange hands crawled onto his knees. All Might looked down at what Izuku was looking at and, huffing in irritation, waved away the dust and hands from him. They poofed away, fizzing out of existence. Izuku blinked in astonishment, but All Might just turned his attention back to Izuku. “So kid, you see them as well? How long has that been going on? A few years, maybe?” 

“Um… All my life, All Might sir. I have been able to see them for as long as I can remember.”

All Might's eyebrows rose even higher, and he leaned forward, hands folded together. “ I see… Well kid, how I can see them is a long story, and I don’t know all the details, but I can tell you what I know.” Izuku's eyes widened, and he stepped forward, eager and somewhat frightened to hear what the man had to say. “Ever hear about people who see things that aren't there? About people who seemingly can tell what others are thinking without knowing, or not really look directly at people? It’s kinda like that, but more… emotional.”

“But what are they!?” Izuku started, surprising himself with his outcry, though he soldiered on, determined to find an answer. For his part, All Might seemed calm and collected, as if he had heard it before.. “I see them everywhere I look, and people look at me and wonder why the weird kid is staring at them! I know they have something to do with emotion and how people feel, or that they’re attracted to certain things, but I don’t know why or what they are! I need to know, All Might sir, please!”

“I was getting there kid. Calm down.” Izuku panted, breathing heavily, and realized he had been shouting and leaning forward, his hands hurt from gripping them so tight. All Might sighed again, rubbing his forehead. “All right, kid, tell me this: Have you ever, in your life, gotten into a serious accident? Maybe gotten really sick?” 

Izuku froze, his response dying with a strangled noise in his throat as he stared at the skeletal figure of his hero, the question echoing through his mind. Have I ever gotten really sick? Memories flashed in his mind, hazy and feverish. A sickness at a young age, fighting for dear life against an unknown illness. An absent father, a scared mother. Fighting, shouting. The child is beyond help, Inko! The doctors say that there’s almost no chance of recovery. We… we should ease the pain as much as we can. It’s not right to let a child suffer like this! No, don’t you dare say that Hisashi! Don’t you dare! That's our son you're talking about! Get out, get out! I won’t abandon my baby boy!.... Izuku, my baby… Please… Come back to us… 

“I… Yes…” All Might looked on as Izuku breathed out the breath he had been holding without thought. His gaze was encouraging and calm, the look on his face looked… gentle. Izuku looked down. His hand was closed in a fist, aching from squeezing far too hard. “When I was young… My mother, she… She told me that I had come down with an illness when I was three. Nothing the doctors had ever seen. I was on the edge of death for weeks. It… it tore my parents apart seeing it. The doctors said that… that it was a miracle that I survived.”

“I see. I’m sorry to hear that. Well, that explains why you can see them, kid.” 

Izuku looked back up in confusion, blinking. “Wait, what do you mean, All Might? How does that explain anything? What does me almost dying as a child have to do…” Izuku trailed off. All Might had lowered a hand to the bottom of his shirt and lifted up the left side. As the white t-shirt rose above his stomach and side, Izuku saw little ghosts he had never seen before flitter around the area, looking like little red bugs. They increased in quantity as the shirt was raised higher until finally—Izuku gasped, a cold pit forming in his stomach. Purple hands formed beneath his legs, lethargic and grasping. He ignored them and just stared in horror at the sight before him.

A massive swollen red patchwork of scars and scar tissue stretched across the left side of All Might’s body, stretching from his stomach to his ribs. The little red bugs swarmed around the wound, thousands in number. “Nasty, isn’t it? The bugs don’t help, I suppose, but then again, I’m not surprised that they are there. They alway seem to be attracted to rot and decay.”

“H-how did that… Did… was it Toxic Chainsaw?” 

All Might snorted in amusement, dropping his shirt so it once again covered the wound. “That guy? Nah, that loser could never do something like this. No, it was… someone else. But that's not important right now, kid. You asked me why you being sick mattered? It’s the same reason why this wound is important.” All Might inhaled, and Izuku could see the streamers around him grow in size and number, as if anticipating something. He waited for him to speak, wanting to hear what possible explanation there could be for this.

He wasn’t prepared for the answer.

“Only those who have come close to the edge of death, who have hovered between life and oblivion, can see them, kid. Basically, only those who have almost died and come back from the edge. ”

Izuku starred, stunned. The words echoed through his mind, but didn’t seem to stick. Across from him, All Might continued speaking, looking even more tired, if that were possible. “ Someone I know, a… friend, told me that they are called Spren. As to what they are, and where they come from? I don’t know, kid. As far as I know, they’ve always been there. Waiting. Existing.”

“B-but All Might,” Izuku started, coming back from his own thoughts. A question still burned on his tongue. “If they have always been there, and you and I and others can see them, then…” 

“Why isn’t this common knowledge?” 

Izuku nodded, and All Might sighed again, reaching up and rubbing his forehead with one bony hand. “Let me ask you something, Izuku Midoriya: If someone told you before this moment that All Might, the Symbol of Peace and Number One Hero, the most powerful hero in Japan, was in fact a shrunken, shriveled, skeleton-looking guy, would you have believed them?” 

Izuku started to speak, then, slowly, looked down at the ground, and shook his head. All Might nodded. “Thought not. It’s understandable, honestly. It’s the same for Spren, I think. Quirks are one thing, and let me tell ya, I’ve seen some odd ones in my time. But ghosts? Demons or spirits or whatever you call them? And only people who almost died can see them? That’s a bit much to believe, double, I think, if you're quirkless like yourself. kid. More often than not, they are ignored, or ostracized by those around them. Most even think themselves broken, or crazy, and try to ignore it. Others just don’t say anything at all. Understand?”

Izuku nodded, gripping his pants tightly as he looked down at the ground, trying to comprehend and process all that he had just heard. It made a lot of sense, when he thought about it. Stuff like this was on none of the forums he frequented, and he had never heard anyone talk about it on the news or school. Still… It didn’t sound right. “Sir,” All Might perked up, leaning forward on his bucket. A lone straggly lock of hair fell down the left side of his face. “Why does nobody even talk about it? Surely there would at least be talk about it? I mean, a lot of people get hurt or really sick, and not everyone would hide it away. So why is there nothing?”

All Might looked at Izuku, a thoughtful expression on his gaunt face. “...I don’t know, young man. I won’t pretend to know. You’re right; there should be more talk. But there isn’t. Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer for you. All I can tell you is what I know.” 

Izuku started to speak again, then stopped and sighed, hanging his head and holding his tongue. There was no point in asking All Might anything more about it. He was right; if it was all he knew, then that was that. Still—

“And that brings me to your other question, kid.” Izuku looked up, blinking in confusion, his head unknowingly titling to the left. All Might sighed and clasped his hands together, one thumb rubbing at a small, white scar on his left hand. “You asked me if someone who is quirkless could become a hero. Right?” Izuku froze, holding his breath, his thoughts flatlining at All Mights words. Then, very slowly, he nodded in assent. 

All Might sighed and, breathing in deeply, looked Izuku in the eyes, blue meeting green, and, with weary caution, gave his response. 

____________________________________________________________________________

  
Katsuki Bakugo sneered in annoyance as the shitty sycophantic nobodies chattered away inanely, the three of them moving down the alley with Katsuki in the lead, hands stuffed in his pant pockets as he slouched along. Katsuki was dimly aware of their stupid fucking attempts to get on his good side, but he ignored them, as he always did. It was old news at this point. Everyone wanted to suck up to the king of Aldera High. No, he was focused on something far more important than what these idiots said. 

Last night was the third time this month he’d woken up to dirty shitty rain water on his floor and all over his fucking bed. He’d made sure to check the weather the night before for rain, and had slept away from his window, but it still got fucking everywhere. The old man had come in as he’d been cleaning it up and had told the old lady. The hag has yelled at him for wetting the bed again. It been fucking sixteen years since his last incident, could she fucking let it go already?!?

And then there was that shitty fucking dream. Every time it was the same dream. What’s worse is that he could never fucking remember what it was. All he knew was that it started the same, and ended the same. Plus the words. Those shitty words. 

You have not been chosen. Not yet. 

What the fucking fuck does that even mean? Who didn’t choose him? What the fuck wasn’t he chosen for? What the fuck was wrong with him? He was clearly the best choice for whatever it was. Stupid shitty dreams, with their stupid ambiguity and shit. That stuff’s fucking old school, which wasn’t bad, but could they get with the fucking times? It was just like that shitty nerd—

Are you all right, Kacchan?

Katsuki growled, feeling his annoyance grow even more. Stupid shitty fucking Deku. Doesn’t fucking know when to lay down and let those stupid fucking delusional dreams die. Just a fucking bug. 

Wait for me Kacchan!!

Just die already, you stupid shitty—

“Hey Bakugo!” 

Katsuki roused himself from his thoughts, and turned towards shitty sycophant Number one, who was grinning nervously at the stormy expression on his face. “What, you idiot?” he growled, already incensed by the interruption. 

“I-I was just asking, what’s up with you and that nerd, Midoriya? Why’d you even bother with him today? You know he ain’t ever gonna get into UA.”   
Bakugo scowled and turned away, clicking his teeth together and spitting in disgust. 

“Yeah,” chortled Shitty Loser Number 2, fishing out a pack of cigarettes from his pockets. “Why do you bother with that freak, Bakugo? He’s just some quirkless loser.” 

Katsuki turned and swiped the cigarettes out of the loser's hands, exploding them in his palm. “None of ya damn business, you idiots!” he snapped, throwing the smoldering package to the side where it landed against a wall. “And don’t smoke around me. What the hell is wrong with you? You wanna get in trouble?”

Bakugo turned away as the idiot sputtered a useless apology and stalked off down the alley, teeth grinding together in a snarl. As the two tried to catch up, none of them noticed as a small toxic green, black, and purple pile of sludge slid out from a corner, a single eye popping out from the mass. It’s lens was encrusted with violet-like crystals, which poked out from the eye itself.

“Mmmmm, a nice meat suit. This will be a good joy ride to test out that new power.” 

The sludge rushed towards its prey. 

____________________________________________________________________________

  
Izuku sighed despondently as he trudged home, hands on his backpack straps and green hair fluffed from his time in the sky. The sun was hidden now, gone behind the grey clouds that had enveloped the sky. The wind blew listlessly, barely ruffling his black uniform or hair with it’s dead embrace. He barely paid it any mind, focused on looking down at his shoes as he walked.

After his talk with All Might—he could still barely believe it wasn’t a dream—the hero had offered to walk him home, but Izuku had reluctantly refused, wanting to be alone to think. The hero had seemed… sad, but had accepted Izuku's decision and had left Izuku alone on the roof with his thoughts. However, before he left, All Might had stopped, boney hand on the door handle, and turned towards Izuku, sitting on the ground in the middle of the roof. For a moment, Izuku had thought the man had been about to say something. But then All Might had sighed and turned and left the roof, shutting the door behind him with a resolute and final click.

Now here Izuku was, walking as if in a daze through the streets, following the way home without even looking where he was going. The words echoed through his skull, bouncing around and not leaving him be. Izuku suddenly stopped, biting his lower lip, tears coming to his eyes. The words wouldn't leave him alone, he just wanted them to go away, he.. He still could… Izuku sighed, his skinny and short body seeming to deflate and shrink in his uniform as he slumped forward, head hanging at his chest.

I don’t think you can become a hero without a quirk, kid. I’m sorry. 

He was right. Izuku had to accept it. All Might had told him the truth on that rooftop. The brutal, honest truth of his situation. He, a quirkless, freaky nobody, could never become a hero.

Izuku sighed again, and then reached a hand up to wipe away his tears, vaguely aware of the taste of rainwater in the air. No use crying about it now. What's done… is done. He couldn’t change fate. If the Number One Hero said so, then who was he to argue with it. It… It was just the way things were. He... could think of another way to be a hero. Izuku looked up, and set his shoulders, eyes forward and narrowed, and moved forward with a new purpose, ignorant of the people running around him towards the street ahead and the flitting figure above his head. Yeah, that's right. He could be a police officer, just like All Might suggested! Or maybe a Support Gear designer! That could help Heroes, and maybe… Just maybe, the hole in his heart could… maybe…

An explosion ripped through his thoughts and pulled him back to reality. Izuku blinked, startled, and looked for the first time at the massive crowd before him, all crowding around the entrance to the street to the left. What the… Izuku jogged forward, curiosity and dread filling him in equal measure. The feelings only increased as he saw several heroes buzzing in and around the crowd, including Death Arms and Mt. Lady, who towered over them all. They shouted orders for the crowd to stay back, but their attention was distracted, focused towards something to the left. Izuku broke into a run and soon reached the crowd of civilians. He pushed through, muttering apologies as he tried to weave his way through the crowd to get a good look, those around him barely sparing an annoyed glance or look before turning back to the sight before them, fear and excitement clear on their faces.

Soon, the crowd opened up, and Izuku breathed an internal sigh of relief… which quickly turned into a strangled gasp of horror at the spectacle before him. 

The street was a mess of fire and smoke. The street itself was specked with small craters. Windows and shop doors were smashed and broken inwards, as if something had exploded out of them. The ground itself seemed to have shifted and warped, looking as if it had turned to liquid and settled as it was falling upwards or downwards into itself. Little violet crystals poked out of the ground at random intervals, seeming to draw in the firelight around it. The destruction was immense, and yet it seemed… wrong. Unnatural.

Izuku barely noticed this. He was focused on the… thing in the center of it all. His hands snapped up to cover his mouth as revulsion and fear ripped through his very being

A giant, squirming pillar of sludge and slime withered and writhed in the middle of the street, moving as if it were fighting something inside itself. It rippled and flowed unnaturally, lashing at the ground and air as if alive, carving great trenches wherever it struck. That by itself would have been bad enough, but there was something seemingly… wrong with it. Huge, massive stalactites of violet crystal stuck out at various points in its body, seeming to glow with a deep, unsettling black light that sucked the heat and warmth from the air. Its eyes were massive, sunken black caverns, with its pupils hidden in the depths, a violet light shining from within.

The creature roared and laughed, a mad, disturbing sound, and lashed out with one of its many tentacle-like limbs, striking the ground before it as the Hero Death Arms rushed forward to strike at its body. The ground rippled and seemed to liquify before it. The hero shouted in alarm as he sank up to his ankles in the concrete liquid, which suddenly solidified and hardened. Where the creature struck, a giant, solid geyser of stone froze mid flight as it lifted its limb back and struck at the hero's chest with brutal force. 

Izuku heard a cracking, snapping sound as the hero's ankles broke where it was stuck in the ground. Death Arms cried out in pain and shock as the blow sent him flying back into the crowd, his feet ripping out of the concrete in huge chunks, flapping uselessly in the wind. One of the heroes moved quickly to catch him, and both were sent flying over the crowd from the sheer momentum of the blow. The crowd screamed and gasped as the two flew by. Izuku watched them fly above him in horror and saw them land in a heap a good distance away. Izuku strained to see if they were all right, but the crowd started to panic, and Izuku turned back to the monster, and gasped.

There was someone in the middle of it all, fighting against the creature as it enveloped the person. Izuku saw a glimpse of hair and a hand, but they were quickly swallowed by the mass around it. Izuku starred in horror, hands still clasped over his mouth, eyes wide. He heard shouting behind him, a hero was telling the crowd to evacuate the area immediately. Death Arms' voice echoed above it all, arguing with someone as he tried to move back towards the creature, broken feet swollen and purple and visible through the tears in his boots and pants. Concrete chunks stuck to the ruins of his boots as he dragged himself forward, but was held back by the other heroes.

Izuku ignored them all. He stared, frozen in place, listening as the creature laughed again, and spoke, it’s voice distorted and twisted, sounding like broken glass dragging on stone. **“AHAHAHAHAHA, WHAT A THRILL! WHAT A JOY!! THIS SHIT IS THE BEST! I FEEL UNSTOPPABLE!”** It lashed out again, and the crowd screamed and surged backwards as the ground before them rippled and writhed, flowing inwards and outwards into stalagmites of concrete. Izuku took a step back, eyes fixed on the nightmare before him. The creature laughed and moved to strike yet again, but stopped and grunted as an explosion ripped outward from within him. The sludge rippled and flowed away from the area, revealing a head and mouth. The person gasped, sputtering and fighting against the creature's bulk.

“LET ME GO, GOD DAMNIT!” The person roared, and Izuku thought he recognized the voice. He blinked, trying to remember. “Get this fucking disgusting shit off me!” 

Another explosion ripped through the monster, but it ignored it, and sludge flowed back towards the person's body. The creature laughed at the futile struggles and turned its attention back towards its victim. **“WHOA NOW, CALM DOWN! BE A GOOD MEAT SUIT AND JUST LET THIS HAPPEN! IT WILL ALL BE OVER SOON!”**

The person struggled and writhed against the bonds as the sludge threatened to envelop it once again, its voice muffled by its captor’s body.

Izuku starred in horror, body shaking, eyes wider than ever before. The crowd screamed, the heroes around him swore and shouted. Some tried to move forward, but another sludge limb struck the ground before them, and they backed away from the rippling ground. Izuku thought as fast as he could, trying to think of something, something that even he could do. _I… What can we do? If I don’t do something… If no one does something, then… I have to do something but…_

**I’m afraid he will never have a quirk. You best give up on that.**

**Izuku… I’m sorry baby!**

**I don’t think you can become a hero without a quirk, kid. I’m sorry.**

_Theres… there's nothing I can do… I’m… I can’t be a hero… I’m useless… All Might… Everyone… I…_

The person tried to rip free again, and its eyes met Izuku’s across the distance and carnage around them. Scared, familiar Red Eyes stared into Green. Recognition. Pain. Pleading.

_**Bravery is not being fearless, Kids! No hero is fearless! What makes someone brave, what defines them as brave, is accepting that they are afraid, and still moving forward, willing to risk their lives! That, children, is the test of one's character! That is what makes a Hero a Hero!** _

**Speak the words. Swear them!**

**“Life Before Death.”**

Izuku Midoriya ran forward out of the crowd.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this is a thing now. My very first MHA fic and its a crossover with a doorstopper of as series. That still going. I'm doomed. Anyway, thank you for reading this, and I hope to see you in the next chapter. Be gentle please.


End file.
